It’s coming closer to Christmas, and every day I am overwhelmed with the reality that Christ willingly came as a baby for us, to save us, to redeem us! How he arrived is so counter-cultural. He should have arrived with fanfare, parades, royalty bowing down to him! The complete opposite unfolded in the tiny town of Bethlehem. After watching  Christmas With The Chosen,  I was drawn to the sweet relationship portrayed between Mary and Joseph. Two young adults on their own, travelling together with no plans in place but the knowledge of an imminent birth of baby Jesus foretold by an angel in Luke 1, 

The Birth of Jesus Foretold

²⁶ In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, ²⁷ to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. ²⁸ The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

²⁹ Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. ³⁰ But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. ³¹ You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. ³² He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, ³³ and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

³⁴ “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

³⁵ The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called^[b] the Son of God. ³⁶ Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. ³⁷ For no word from God will ever fail.”

³⁸ “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

How is this even possible? It is because God ordained this to happen. Mary heard the words from the angel and although initially troubled (v.29) she responds with the incredible words, “I am the Lord’s servant…May your word to me be fulfilled.”

As I reflect on this as a mom, I wonder how many times I have responded oppositely. I may indicate that I am listening but in my heart, I am not his servant. I may think that I am reflecting that the Lord’s will be done, but am hoping it is actually my will. Thinking I know better, I march on mothering because I feel I know best.

 

Mary was told about a miracle happening to her that is truly THE best message in the history of the world. Then she hears about her relative Elizabeth is in her sixth month, another miracle pregnancy. These are specific messages angels revealed, beautiful miracles!

I choose how I react every time I am in conversation with my family. Am I willingly choosing to respond how Christ is calling me? Mary responded with the words, “I am the Lord’s servant” and with those words I am challenged to do the same and serve the Lord with my responses. This is not a task I can do on my own. With the Holy Spirit I can respond with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. This season is bringing unique challenges, but as I enter into the last days of 2021 the challenge is obvious, conviction clear and purpose defined – how are my words received here at home right now today? I know I am not alone and his plan is better than mine. That it good news!